Exposure
by Yessica-N
Summary: 5 times Papyrus and Flowey preferred privacy above all else, and the one time they didn't. (Fluffy, non-sexual nyecthar)


**This is technically part three in a series (The others parts being Clarity and Solitude) of fluffy non-sexual nyechtar fics. So feel free to check those out.**

 **This is also a birthday gift for my good Tumblr friend AJ. You the best!**

* * *

 **1.**

Their first date is awkward to say the least. As Papyrus suggested, they go to see a movie.

The skeleton lays his arm across the chair next to him, but it has little effect when the seat is occupied by a flowerpot, and it ends up looking more like Papyrus is trying to hug the armrest.

Afterwards, they walk home, in complete silence.

The air is cold, frigid, but neither of them feels the breeze. Papyrus stops dead and can't meet their eyes.

"I'm sorry." He says. "Maybe this was a bad idea..."

Flowey looks at him and tries to ignore the growing fondness in his soul "Don't be silly."

He bends forwards, his cheek rubs against Papyrus' face and it's the closest to a kiss they'll ever get but it's all he ever wanted.

"It was perfect."

* * *

 **2.**

They go to the mall too, because that's what couples do according to human magazines. They walk around and look at the colorful display windows while Flowey comments his displeasure at everything.

The stores, the humans, the music... everything except Papyrus.

They sit on a bench without really being tired, but just so they have an excuse to hold hands. Or whatever passes for that between them.

They're so much like the other pairs in the mall, it fills Papyrus chest with something giddy. A feeling he doesn't ever want to go away.

But Flowey lets go suddenly, turning his head, and it's Alphys and Undyne, faces surprised.

Papyrus can't help but notice they're holding hands too.

"Didn't expect to see you here." Undyne gushes, and Alphys and Flowey do that reserved greeting thing they always do. Papyrus still doesn't get what's going on between them, probably never will.

They talk for a bit and then they leave and Papyrus is glad they do, so he can hold on to his friend again.

* * *

 **3.**

Summer rolls around and before Papyrus knows it they're celebrating anniversaries. A week, two weeks, a month.

All of them decide to head to the beach together, so he and Flowey have to play it cool, trying not to gaze at each other too much.

There is something inside him, rotten, when he sees the way Undyne and Alphys interact, so unabashedly and affectionate and-

Papyrus hates it. He's jealous, pretending that he and Flowey are still 'just' best friends.

It's hard, and judging by the way Frisk raises their eyebrows at him, they didn't completely get away with it.

* * *

 **4.**

"What should I call you?" Papyrus asks one evening and Flowey is already rolling his eyes.

"Just my name will suffice." The flower quickly interjects, but he knows he won't get off that easily.

"Boyfriend." Papyrus tries out loud and he cringes.

"Please don't."

"Dear, sweetie, honey." The skeleton goes on uninterrupted.

"If you call me any of those outside this room I'm breaking up with you."

There's a sudden moment of silence, and Flowey knows he has made a mistake.

"What about inside this room?" Papyrus asks.

* * *

 **5.**

When they're together three months Papyrus broaches the subject. It makes sense for him to say it first, but Flowey still felt himself fearing the day.

"We need to tell them."

There's not even much he can say to protest. There are a thousand arguments about why telling them is a bad idea, but Flowey knows they'll fall on deaf ears.

"You're right." He says evenly, trying to conceal the fear in his voice, but he knows Papyrus notices when the skeleton gives him a comforting squeeze.

"It'll be ok." He says, and Flowey desperately wants to believe him.

* * *

 **+1.**

"We have something important to tell you." Papyrus starts as soon as everybody is sitting down, except for Toriel, who is busying herself with actually cutting the pie into neat, equal pieces.

"Oh?" Asks Sans, when nobody else says anything and Papyrus doesn't continue.

It's not a word per se, more like a sound, and everybody is staring at them. At Flowey, carefully reaching out a vine to grip his datemate's fingers.

If he had a heart, it'd be bursting out of his nonexistent chest by now.

But Papyrus is still not saying anything, eyes suspiciously wide like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a speeding vehicle, just waiting to be run over.

So Flowey sees no other choice but to tell them himself. "We're dating!" He blurts, in one big breathe and in such a way it sounds like one word instead of a sentence.

"What?" Undyne responds immediately and he doesn't know if it's because she's surprised or because she couldn't understand his desperate mumble.

"We're dating." Papyrus repeats, in a small squick. "And if you don't like it you can just... suck it up."

He's seemingly shocked at his own words but Flowey couldn't be more proud.

The silence hangs heavily around them for a few more moments, until Toriel breaks it.

"That's great." She says, starting to hand out plates of her delicious cinnamon-butterscotch pie.

"That's great?" Flowey echoes, and it's like he's a kid again, asking for his his mother's approval.

"I kind of already knew." Asgore unhelpfully adds, he's smiling fondly at them and Papyrus thinks he might faint.

"Good." He says, and that's the end of that.


End file.
